UNIVERSITY  OF 
ILLINOIS 
' 


AGMCULTUP 


WON  CIRCULATING 

CHECK  FOR  UNBOUND 
CIRCULATING  COPY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Agricultural  Experiment  Station 


BULLETIN  NO.  143 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND 
DAIRY  BARN 


BY  WIL,BER  J.   FRASEK 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS,  FEBRUARY,  1910 


SUMMARY  OF  BULLETIN  No.  143 

1.  Round   barns   v, onld  be    more    generally  built   if   their   advantages   were 
known   and  if  the  few  which  have  been  erected  had  been  rightly  constructed. 

Page  i. 

2.  The  round  dairy  barn  offers  greater  convenience  in  storing,  handling  and 
distributing  the  feed.  Page  5. 

3.  In  the  circular  construction,  much  greater  strength  is  secured   with  less 
lumber.  Page  6. 

4.  The   material    for   rectangular  barns   costs    from   34  to  58  percent   mot^ 
than  for  round  barns  of  the  same  area  and  capacity.    .  Page  7. 

5.  Round  and  rectangular  barns  compared.  Page  n. 

6.  Round  and  rectangular  barns,  including  silos,  compared.  Page  13. 

7.  Detailed  account,  with   illustrations  showing   how   the  round  barn  at'  the 
University  was  built.  Page   17 

8.  Itemized  statement  of  cost  of  a  6o-foot  round  barn.  Page  29. 

9.  Brief    descriptions   with    illustrations    and    plans    of    several    round    dairv 
barns  in  actual  use.  Page  31. 

TO.  Conclusions.     The  advantages  of  the  round  dairy  barn  are  convenience, 
strength  and  cheapness.  Page  44. 


UNIVERSITY  OF 


EOONOMY  OF  THE  KOUND  DAIRY  BARN 

SPECIFICATIONS  AND  DETAILED  COST  AND  CONSTRUCTION  OF 
THE  NEW  SIXTY-FOOT  CIRCULAR  DAIRY  BARN  AT  THE  UNI- 
VERSITY.    SAVING  OF   ROUND  OVER  RECTANGULAR 
BARNS.     NOTES  ON  SEVERAL  ROUND  BARNS 
ON  DAIRY  FARMS.* 

BY  W.  J.  FRASER,  CHIEF  IN  DAIRY  HUSBANDRY 

The  planning,  construction,  and  arrangement  of  farm  buildings  do  not 
usually  receive  the  thought  and  study  these  subjects  warrant.  How  many 
dairymen  have  compared  a  circular,  40-cow  barn  with  the  common  rec- 
tangular building  containing  the  same  area?  How  many  understand  that 
the  circular  structure  is  much  the  stronger;  that  the  rectangular  form  re- 
quires 22  percent  more  wall  and  foundation  to  enclose  the  same  space;  and 
that  the  cost  of  material  is  from  34  to  58  percent  more  for  the  rectangular 
building? 

In  a  community  in  which  everyone  is  engaged  in  the  same  oc- 
cupation, one  person  is  likely  to  copy  from  his  neighbor  without 
apparently  giving  a  thought  as  to  whether  or  not  there  is  a  bet- 
ter way. 

In  a  district  of  Kane  county,  Illinois,  a  certain  type  of  dairy 
barn  is  used  by  nearly  everyone,  while  in  the  next  county  a  dis- 
tinctly different  type  prevails,  and  the  dairy  barns  of  another  ad- 
jacent county  differ  from  those  of  either  of  the  former,  simply 
because  the  early  settlers  of  this  particular  locality  came  from  an 
eastern  state  and  started  building  the  style  of  barn  then  common 
in  Pennsylvania. 

In  a  certain  community  in  Ohio  where  a  milk  condensing  fac- 
tory is  located,  a  large  number  of  farmers  have  barns  36x60  feet, 
with  an  "L"  the  same  size.  The  loft  of  the  "L"  is  used  for  the 
storage  of  straw,  and  the  cows  run  ioose  in  the  lower  portion. 
These  barns  are  all  built  on  practically  the  same  plan  and  are  usu- 
ally of  the  same  size,  and  this  is  the  only  community  known  to  the 
writer  where  this  form  of  barn  is  used  in  this  manner. 

This  tendency  to  imitate  emphasizes  the  fact  that  men  do  not 
exercise  sufficient  originality.  Because  most  barns  are  rectangular 
is  no  reason  that  this  is  the  best  and  most  economical  form. 


*Special  acknowledgment  is  made  to  Mr.  H.  E.  Crouch  and  Mr.  R.  E.  Brand  for  their 
assistance  in  working  out  the  detailed  data  which  are  the  bases  for  i  he  economic   comparn 
of  the  round  and  rectangular  barns  made  in  this  bulletin. 


BULLETIN   No.   143 

WHY  MORE  ROUND  BARNS  ARE  NOT  BUILT 


[February, 


In  an  early  day  when  lumber  was  cheap,  buildings  were  built 
of  logs,  or  at  least  had  heavy  frames.  Under  these  conditions,  the 
rectangular  barn  was  the  one  naturally  used,  and  people  have  fol- 
lowed in  the  footsteps  of  their  forefathers  in  continuing  this  form 
of  barn.  The  result  is  that  the  economy  and  advantages  of  the 
round  barn  have  apparently  never  been  considered.  This  is  be- 
cause they  are  not  obvious  at  first  sight,  and  become  fully  appar- 
ent only  after  a  detailed  study  of  the  construction.  For  these  rea- 
sons, the  rectangular  form  still  continues  to  be  built,  altho  it  re- 


an  tin  n  n  no  n  n  n  rm  rml 


wH^ 


FIG.  l.    BARN  No.  5.    100  FEET  IN  DIAMETER,  SCALE  20  FEET  TO  ONE  INCH;    SHOWING 

INCREASED    MOW   CAPACITY   GIVEN    BY   SELF-SUPPORTING    ROOF. 


igio]  ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN  3 

quires  much  more  lumber.  As  the  price  of  lumber  has  advanced  so 
materially  in  recent  years,  the  possible  saving  in  this  material  is  a 
large  item,  and  well  worth  investigating. 

The  objections  to  round  barns  have  usually  been  made  by  those 
who  have  only  a  superficial  knowledge  of  the  subject,  and  do  not 
really  understand  the  relative  merits  of  the  two  forms.  To  the 
writer's  knowledge,  there  has  never  been  published  a  carefully  fig- 
ured out,  detailed  comparison  of  a  properly  constructed  circular 
barn  with  the  rectangular  barn. 

The  difficulty  with  most  round  barns  that  have  been  built,  thus 
far,  is  that  they  do  not  have  a  self-supporting  roof,  and  conse- 
quently lose  many  of  the  advantages  of  a  properly  constructed 
round  barn.  This  is  the  principal  reason  why  round  barns  have 
not  become  more  popular.  A  straight  roof  necessarily  requires 
many  supports  in  the  barn  below.  These  are  both  costly  and  in- 
convenient, and  make  the  roof  no  stronger  than  a  dome-shaped, 
self-supporting  roof  which  nearly  doubles  the  capacity  of  the  mow. 
See  Fig.  (i). 

Many  who  have  thus  disregarded  capacity  have  also  wasted 
lumber  and  made  a  needless  amount  of  work  by  chopping  or  hew- 
ing out  the  sill  and  plate,  thus  requiring  more  labor  and  lumber, 
besides  sacrificing  the  greater  strength  of  a  built-up  sill.  Rightly 
constructed  round  barns  are,  however,  being  built  to  a  limited  ex- 
tent. One  contractor  has  erected  twenty-four  round  barns,  with 
self  supporting  roofs,  in  the  last  nine  years.  These  barns  vary  in 
size  from  40  feet  in  diameter  with  i8-foot  posts  to  102  feet  in 
diameter  with  3O-foot  posts. 

Another  reason  for  the  scarcity  of  round  barns  is  the  difficulty 
in  getting  them  built.  Most  carpenters  hesitate  to  undertake  the 
work  because  in  the  erection  of  a  round  barn  the  construction 
should  be  entirely  different  from  that  of  the  rectangular  form. 
Many  new  problems  present  themselves,  but  when  these  are  once 
understood,  the  round  barn  offers  no  more  difficulties  in  construc- 
tion than  the  rectangular  form.  It  is,  however,  important  to  have 
a  head  carpenter  who  is  accustomed  to  putting  up  round  barns,  as 
a  man  with  ingenuity  and  experience  can  take  advantage  of  many 
opportunities  to  save  labor  and  material. 

KIND  OF  BARN  NEEDED 

The  first  thing  to  consider  in  the  erection  of  a  barn  is  a  con- 
venient arrangement  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be  used. 
At  the  University  of  Illinois,  two  years  ago,  a  twenty-acre  demon- 
stration dairy  farm  was  started,  the  sole  object  being  to  produce 
the  largest  amount  of  milk  per  acre  at  the  least  possible  cost.  To 


BULLETIN   No.   143 


[February, 


meet  the  requirements  of  a  barn  for  this  purpose,  it  became  im- 
perative to  build  one  that  was  convenient  for  feeding-  and  caring 
for  the  cows,  economical  of  construction,  and  containing  a  large 
storage  capacity  in  both  silo  and  mow.  These  are  the  requirements 
of  a  barn  for  every  practical  dairyman. 

A  silo  was  needed  that  could  be  fed  from  the  year  round.  With 
the  small  number  of  cows-  kept,  a  deep  enough  layer  of  silage  could 
not  be  fed  off  each  day  to  keep  it  good  thru  the  summer,  if  the 
silo  was  more  than  12  feet  in  diameter.  As  this  small  diameter 
was  a  necessity,  it  would  require  two  silos  33  feet,  deep  to  supply 
enough  silage.  Two  silos  of  such  small  diameter  would  not  only 
be  costly,  but  difficult  to  make  stand,  unless  built  of  concrete.  This 
difficulty  was  overcome  by  using  the  circular  barn  and  placing  in 
the  center  a  silo  which  is  12  feet  in  diameter  and  54  feet  deep,  thus 


FIG.  2.    FILLING  THE  SILO. 


making  the  one  silo,  with  as  much  capacity  as  the  two  before  men- 
tioned, answer  every  purpose.  This  deep  silo  is  an  important  part 
of  the  round  barn,  as  it  not  only  forms  a  support  for  the  roof,  but 
is  protected  by  the  barn,  thus  saving  the  cost  of  siding.  Then, 
too,  besides  occupying  the  space  least  valuable  for  other  purposes, 
it  being1  centrally  located,  is  in  the  most  convenient  place  for  feed- 
ing. The  silage  chute  being  open  at  the  top  forms  a  suction  of  air, 
which  keeps  the  silage  odor  from  the  barn  at  milking-  time,  and 
also  assists  in  ventilation  when  the  door  to  the  chute  is  open. 


lu'UXu.MV    UK     lilt.    KOLM)     U.UKY     1'iAk.N 


ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  ROUND  BARN 

The  points  of  superiority  that  the  round  dairy  barn  shows  over  the  rec- 
tangular form  are  convenience,  strength,  and  cheapness. 

ROUND  BARN  MOST  CONVENIENT 

Considering  that  the  barn  on  a  dairy  farm  is  used  twice  every 
clay  in  the  year,  and  that  for  six  months  each  year  the  cows  oc- 
cupy it  almost  continuously,  and  that  during  this  time  a  large 
amount  of  the  labor  of  the  farm  is  done  inside  the  barn,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  question  of  its  convenience  is  a  vital  one.  The 


^SJU 


FIG.  3.     INTERIOR  OF  BARN,  SECOND  FLOOR,  SHOWING  SILO  AND  LOCATION 
OF  ENSILAGE  CUTTER.     (TEAM  UNHITCHED  TO  SHOW  CUTTER.) 

amount  of  time  and  strength  wasted  in  useless  labor  in  poorly  ar- 
ranged buildings  is  appalling.  People  do  not  stop  to  consider  the 
saving  in  a  year  or  a  lifetime  by  having  the  barn  so  conveniently 
arranged  that  there  is  a  saving  of  only  a  few  seconds  on  each  task 
that  has  to  be  done  two  or  three  times  every  day. 

The  round  barn  has  a  special  advantage  in  the  work  of  distrib- 
uting silage  to  the  cows.  The  feeding  commences  at  the  chute 
where  it  is  thrown  down,  and  is  continued  around  the  circle,  end- 
ing with  the  silage  cart  at  the  chute  again,  ready  for  the  next  feed- 
ing. The  same  thing  is  true  in  feeding  hay  and  grain. 


BULLETIN   No.   143 


[February. 


Still  another  great  advantage  is  the  large  unobstructed  hay 
mow.  With  the  self-supporting  roof,  there  are  no  timbers  what- 
ever obstructing  the  mow,  which  means  no  dragging  of  hay  around 
posts  or  over  girders.  The  hay  carrier  runs  on  a  circular  track 
around  the  mow,  midway  bet  wen  the  silo  and  the  outside  wall, 
and  drops  the  hay  at  any  desired  point,  thus  in  no  case  does  the 
hay  have  to  be  moved. but  a  few  feet,  which  means  a  saving  of 
much  labor  in  the  mowing. 

To  successfully  embody  all  of  the  above  discussed  advantages 
in  a  dairy  barn  is  one  of  the  large  problems  in  milk  production. 
In  a  careful  study  of  the  barn  question  it  soon  became  apparent 
that  it  was  impossible  to  embody  all  of  the  requirements  advan- 
tageously in  anything  but  a  circular  form  of  building,  and  the  60- 
foot  round  barn,  which  is  here  described,  was  built. 


FIG.  4.    SOUTH  VIEW,  SHOWING  WELL  LIGHTED  STABLK. 


CIRCULAR  CONSTRUCTION  THE  STRONGEST 

The  circular  construction  is  the  strongest,  because  it  lakes  ad- 
vantage of  the  lineal,  instead  of  the  breaking  strength  of  the  lum- 
ber. Each  row  of  boards  running  around  the  barn  forms  a  hoop 
that  holds  the  barn  together  A  barrel,  properly  hooped  and 
headed,  is  almost  indestructible,  and  much  stronger  than  a  box, 
altho  the  hoops  are  small.  This  strength  is  because  the  stress 
comes  on  the  hoops  in  a  lineal  direction.  Any  piece  of  timber  is 
many  times  stronger  on  a  lineal  pull  than  on  a  breaking  stress. 
Take  for  example  a  No.  I  yellow  pine  2x6,  16  feet  long,  with  an 


ECONOMY  OK  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


actual  cross  section  of  1^x5^  inches.  If  placed  on  edge  and 
supported  at  the  ends,  as  a  joist,  the  limit  of  safety  for  a  load" 
evenly  distributed  is  642  pounds,  while  the  limit  of  safety  for  a 
load  in  the  lineal  direction  of  the  same  piece  of  timber  is  12,800 
pounds,  or  twenty  times  as  great. 

All  exposed  surfaces  of  a  round  barn  are  circular,  as  both  the 
sides  and  roof  are  arched,  which  is  the  strongest  form  of  construc- 
tion to  resist  wind  pressure;  besides,  the  wind,  in  striking  it, 
glances  off  and  can  get  no  direct  hold  on  'the  walls  or  roof,  as  it 
can  on  the  flat  sides  or  gable  ends  of  a  rectangular  structure.  If 


FIG.  5.    IN  cow  STABLE,  SHOWING  siix>  AND  FEED  AijyEY  IN  CENTER  OF 
BARN;    STANCHIONS  ON  RIGHT,  MII,K  SCALES  AND  RECORD  SHEET  ON  I,EFT. 

the  lumber  is  properly  placed  in  a  round  barn,  much  of  it  will  per- 
form two  or  more  functions.  Every  row  of  siding  boards  running 
around  the  building  serves  also  as  a  brace,  and  the  same  is  true  of 
the  roof  boards  and  the  arched  rafters.  If  the  siding  is  put  on 
vertically  and  the  roof  built  dome  shaped,  no  scaffolding  is  required 
inside  or  out.  These  are  points  of  economy  in  the  round  con- 
struction. 

RECTANGULAR  BARNS  REQUIRE  34  TO  58  PERCENT  MORE 

MATERIAL 

In  order  to  compare  the  amount  and  cost  of  material  in  round 
and  rectangular  barns,  the  following  figures  have  been  carefully 
worked  out  by  an  expert  barn  builder.  Two  comparisons,  based 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


on  wood  construction  thruout,  are 
made,  in  which  round  barns  60 
feet  and  90  feet  in  diameter  are 
compared  with  both  plank  and 
mortise  frame  rectangular  barns 
containing  the  same  number  of 
square  feet  of  floor  space,  re- 
spectively. Since  the  most  prac- 
tical width  of  a  rectangular  dairy 
barn  is  36  feet,  its  length  will  de- 
pend upon  the  number  of  square 
feet  required  in  the  barn. 

Figures  6  to  9  are  side  and 
end  views,  showing  the  detail 
construction  and  size  of  the  tim- 
bers of  the  plank  frame  and  mor- 

6.    SHOWING  CONSTRUCTION  OK  tise     frame    barns    here    figured- 
MORTISE  FRAME  BARN,  END  VIEW.    The  detailed  figures  of  the  lum- 
ber bills  for  each  of  these  barns 
were   carefully   worked    out,   but 

are  too  voluminous  for  publication  here.  The  total  number  of  feet 
of  each  kind  of  lumber  required  is  given  in  Tables  lA  and  iB. 
Since  the  proportion  of  the  different  kinds  of  lumber  and  shingles 
varied  for  the  different  barns,  to  draw  an  exact  comparison  it  was 


fe: 


FIG.  1,    SHOWING  CONSTRUCTION  OF  PL.ANK  FRAME  BARN,  SIDE  VIEW. 


igio] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


necessary  to  base  it  upon  the 
money  value,  and  for  this  purpose 
the  total  cost  of  lumber  has  been 
figured  in  each  case.  The  lumber 
values  used  thruout  are  the  best 
average  prices  that  could  be  ob- 
tained. As  the  same  prices  are 
used  for  the  material  of  all  the 
barns,  the  comparisons  of  cost  are 
correct,  altho  these  exact  prices 
will  not  hold  for  all  localities  and 
all  times. 

Since  a  silo  cannot  be 
economically  built  inside  of  a 
rectangular  barn,  the  first  com- 
parison is  made  with  the  barns 
simply  enclosed,  altho  one  of  the 
chief  advantages  of  a  round  barn 
is  the  deep  silo  which  it  is  pos- 
sible to  build  so  economically  in  the  center. 

Another  item  of  economy  in  the  circular  barn  is  less  framing 
lumber.  This  form  has  the  strongest  possible  construction  with 
the  least  lumber  in  the  frame,  and  the  least  bracing,  not  a  single 


[T-OW- 


FIG.  8.    SHOWING  CONSTRUCTION  OK 
P^ANK  FRAME  BARN,  END  VIEW. 


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Fio.  9.     SHOWING  CONSTRUCTION  OF  MORTISE  FRAME  BARN,  SIDE  VIEW. 


10 


BULLETIN   No.   143 


[February, 


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lyio]  ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN  11 

timber  larger  than  a  2x6  being  required  above  the  sill.  The  arched 
circular  roof  requires  no  supports,  and  no  scaffolding  is  needed 
inside  during  its  construction. 

The  accompanying  tables  show  the  comparative  amount  and 
value  of  lumber  and  cubical  content  in  round  barns  60  and  90  feet 
in  diameter,  and  rectangular  barns  of  equal  area  and  height  of  posts. 

ROUND  AND  RECTANGULAR   BARNS  COMPARED 

In  comparing  the  6o-foot  round  barn  with  a  rectangular  barn 
of  the  same  area,  the  two  barns  should  afford  the  cows  the  same 
amount  of  space  on  the  platform.  Allowing  each  cow  in  the  60- 
foot  round  barn  3  feet  6  inches  in  width  at  the  rear  of  the  plat- 
form, it  will  accommodate  40  cows  and  leave  space  for  two  passage 
ways.  But  in  a  rectangular  barn,  only  3  feet  4  inches  of  platform 
space  need  be  allowed  for  each  cow,  and  the  78^/2  foot  barn,  with 
two  3-foot  passage  ways  across  it  for  convenience  in  feeding,  will 
accommodate  42  cows.  While  the  rectangular  barn  has  stall  room 
for  two  more  cows,  the  round  barn  contains  space  in  the  center  for 
a  silo  1 8  feet  in  diameter. 

The  floor  space  and  cubical  content  of  the  round  »barn  60  feet 
in  diameter,  and  the  rectangular  barn  compared  with  it  in  these 
tables,  are  practically  the  same,  and  the  barns  are  therefore  di- 
rectly comparable.  This  being  true,  the  percentages  which  were 
figured  from  the  complete  bills  of  material  for  these  barns  show 
the  exact  saving  in  lumber  on  the  6o-foot  round  barn  over  the 
plank  and  mortise  frame  rectangular  barns  36x781/2  feet.  The 
lumber  bills  of  the  rectangular  barns  show  an  increase  in  cost  of 
28  percent  for  the  plank  frame  and  54  percent  for  the  mortise 
frame.  The  round  barn,  60  feet  in  diameter,  contains  i88*/>,  and 
the  rectangular  barn  225  lineal  feet  of  wall.  The  rectangular  barn 
has,  therefore,  22  percent  more  lineal  feet  of  outside  barn  wall, 
requiring  a  proportional  increase  in  both  paint  and  foundation. 

The  1 76^4 -foot  rectangular  barn  would  hold  100  cows,  allow- 
ing each  cow  3  feet  4  inches  in  width  and  providing  for  3  passage 
ways  of  3  feet  each  across  the  barn. 

The  go-foot  round  barn  would  hold  100  cows  iii  two  rows 
headed  together,  65  of  which  would  be  in  the  outer  circle,  and  have 
3  feet  6  inches  each  in  width  at  the  gutter.  This  leaves  sufficient 
room  for  feed  alleys  and  walks,  and  two  passage  ways,  one  three 
feet  and  the  other  seven  feet  wide  for  the  manure  and  feed  car- 
riers. All  of  this  is  outside  of  a  central  space  for  a  silo  20  feet 
in  diameter  and  71  feet  high,  with  a  capacity  for  620  tons  of  sil- 
age, and  in  the  mow  there  would  still  be  an  excess,  above  the  ca- 
pacity of  the  rectangular  barn,  of  33,000  cubic  feet,  which  would 


12 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


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1910]  ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN  13 

hold  66  tons  of  hay,  or  as  much  as  the  entire  mow  of  a  barn  32x36 
feet  with  2o-foot  posts. 

The  square  feet  of  floor  space  in  the  round  barn  90  feet  in  di- 
ameter and  rectangular  barn  36x176%  feet  are  the  same,  but  the 
cubical  content  of  the  former  is  more  than  that  of  the  latter.  The 
increase  in  the  lumber  bill  is  23  percent  in  the  plank  frame  and  53 
percent  in  the  mortise  frame  barn.  The  round  barn  90  feet  in 
diameter  contains  283  and  the  rectangular  barn  426  lineal  feet  of 
wall.  The  rectangular  barn  has,  therefore,  50  percent  more  lineal 
feet  of  outside  barn  wall,  requiring  a  proportional  increase  in  both 
paint  and  foundation. 

The  smaller  surface  on  the  outside  wall  of  the  round  barn  re- 
quires less  paint  and  makes  a  proportional  saving  in  keeping  the 
round  barn  painted  in  after  years. 

ROUND  AND  RECTANGULAR  BARNS,  Including  Silos,  COMPARED 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  a  silo  is  a  necessity  for  the  most  eco- 
nomical production  of  milk,  a  barn  is  not  complete  for  a  dairyman's 
purpose  unless  it  includes  a  silo  with  capacity  to  store  sufficient 
silage  for  the  herd.  In  the  case  of  the  round  barn,  the  silo  is  most 
economically  built  inside,  but  in  the  rectangular  form  would  cause 
a  waste  of  space,  and  for  that  reason  is  best  erected  outside.  There- 
fore, in  comparing  a  round  dairy  barn  with  a  rectangular  dairy 
barn,  silos  should  be  included. 

In  figuring  the  cost  of  materials  in  the  silos  for  the  round  and 
rectangular  barns,  the  capacity  needed  in  each  case  was  determined 
in  the  following  manner :  Allowing  40  pounds  of  silage  per  cow 
per  day  for  7  winter  months  and  25  pounds  per  cow  per  day  for 
3  months  during  the  summer,  would  require  for  40  cows 
220  tons ;  then  allowing  one-eighth  for  waste  would  make  the  sil- 
age requirement  248  tons.  As  the  silo  in  the  round  barn  60  feet 
in  diameter  is  53  feet  deep,  it  would  need  to  be  only  16  feet  in  di- 
ameter to  hold  250  tons.  This  diameter  is  sufficiently  small  to  al- 
low summer  feeding  without  waste.  To  erect  a  silo  outside  of  a 
barn,  with  sufficient  stability  to  stand  well,  the  height  above  ground 
should  not  be  much  more  than  twice  the  diameter,  and  in  order  to 
avoid  waste  for  summer  feeding,  the  diameter  should  not  be 
greater  than  16  feet  for  a  herd  of  40  cows.  In  order  that  a  deep 
enough  layer  of  silage  can  be  fed  off  each  day  during  the  summer 
to  avoid  waste,  it  is  evident  that  to  store  250  tons  of  silage  outside 
the  barn,  two  silos  would  be  required.  One  of  these  should  be  16 
feet  in  diameter  and  36  feet  deep,  holding  154  tons,  and  the  other 
13  feet  in  diameter  and  36  feet  deep,  holding  102  tons,  making  a 
total  silo  capacity  of  256  tons. 


14 


BULLETIN   No.   143 


[February, 


As  the  large  barns  hold  100  cows,  the  same  allowance  of  silage 
per  cow  for  the  season  would  require  silo  capacity  for  620  tons. 
As  the  silo  in  the  round  barn  90  feet  in  diameter  would  be  71  feet 
deep,  it  would  need  to  be  only  20  feet  in  diameter  to  hold  620  tons. 
To  store  620  tons  of  silage  in  silos  built  outside  the  rectangular 
barn  would  require  two. silos,  each  20  feet  in  diameter  and  44  feet 
deep.*  These  are  the  sizes  on  which  the  figures  for  cost  of  silos 
of  the  Curler  type,  given  in  Tables  2A  and  26,  were  used. 


PIG.  10.     INTERIOR  OF  cow  STABLE,  SHOWING  WATER  TROUGH  WITH  FLOAT 

VAI.VE,  SALT  BOX,  AND  DOOR  INTO  DAIRY. 


The  table  (page  12)  is  the  final  summing  up  of  the  cost  of  all 
the  material  for  the  completed  dairy  barns,  with  silos,  and  shows  a 
saving  of  from  34  to  58  percent  in  favor  of  the  round  barn  and 
silo,  or  an  actual  money  saving  in  this  case  of  from  $379  to  $1184, 
depending  upon  the  size  and  construction  of  the  barns. 

Thoughtlessly,  men  go  on  building  rectangular  barns,  but  what 
would  this  reckless  disregard  of  a  possible  saving  of  34  to  58  per- 
cent mean  in  a  year's  business  on  the  farm?  Some  illustrations 
may  help  us  to  understand  what  this  money  saved  in  building  a 
round  barn  really  amounts  to,  and  its  convenience  is  also  a  great 
saving.  If  the  dairyman  discarded  the  idea  of  a  rectangular  barn 

*Since  the  deeper  the  silo  the  more  firmly  the  silage  packs,  one  silo  71  feet  deep  will  hold 
as  much  as  two  silos  of  the  same  diameter  and  44  feet  deep. 


igioj 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


15 


and  built  a  round  barn  instead,  he  could  take  the  money  thus  saved 
and  buy  one  of  the  best  pure-bred  sires  for  his  herd,  and  also  three 
to  ten  pure-bred  heifers  or  fine  grade  cows.  Either  of  these  pur- 
chases might  double  the  profit  of  the  herd.  Or,  this  saving,  prop- 
erly applied,  would  purchase  many  labor-saving  devices  which 
would  make  life  less  of  a  drudgery  on  many  dairy  farms.  Is  not 
such  a  saving  worth  while  ? 

When  the  comparative  cost  and  merit  of  two  constructions  are 
known,  it  is  a  poor  financier  who  will  pay  extra  for  the  one  which 


FlG.  11.      COW  COMFORT  IN  A  ROUND  BARN. 

is  inferior.  If  a  man  received  bids  from  contractors  for  a  build- 
ing, he  would  be  a  foolish  man  who  would  accept  one  which  is 
from  34  to  58  percent  higher  than  the  lowest  bidder,  especially 
when  he  knew  the  lowest  bidder  would  put  up  the  most  convenient 
and  substantial  building. 

DISADVANTAGES  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 

The  disadvantages  of  the  round  dairy  barn  are,  that  it  cannot 
be  enlarged  by  building  on  as  readily  as  can  the  rectangular  form, 
but  as  the  round  barn  may  be  built  higher  to  the  eaves  than  a  rec- 
tangular barn  36  feet  wide,  provision  can  be  made  for  the  growth 
of  the  herd  by  building  so  as  to  put  cows  in  the  second  story  and 
still  leave  sufficient  mow  room  for  hay. 


16 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


The  objection  is  frequently  raised  that  a  round  barn  is  difficult 
to  light.  This  difficulty  is  entirely  overcome  in  a  barn  90  feet  or 
less  in  diameter,  if  a  sufficient  number  of  properly  spaced  windows 
are  used.  See  Figs.  4  and  30.  With  the  same  number  of  win- 
dows, the  light  is  more  evenly  distributed  in  a  round  barn  and  the 
sun  can  shine  directly  into  some  portion  at  all  hours  of  the  day 
during  the  winter. 

The  objection  has  been  raised  that  rectangular  objects  cannot 
be  placed  in  a  circle  without  a  waste  of  space,  but  this  does  not 
apply  to  a  dairy  barn,  as  the  storage  of  hay  and  grain  depends  upon 
cubical  content,  alone,  and  silos  should  always  be  circular,  no  mat- 
ter where  built.  Cows,  when  lying  down,  are  decidedly  wedge- 


FlG.  12.     FlRST  STORY  WAI.lv,  AND  FOUNDATION  FOR  SII,O,  FEED  AL.L.EY,  AND 
MANGER;    SILL,  IN  PIPAGE,  READY  FOR  JOISTS  AND  STUDS. 

shaped,  requiring  much  less  space  in  front  than  behind.  The  ob- 
jection may  be  raised,  with  round  barns  large  enough  for  two  rows 
of  cows,  that  the  row  headed  out  does  not  use  the  space  as  eco- 
nomically as  in  the  rectangular  form,  because  a  cow  needs  more 
width  at  the  rear  of  the  platform  than  at  the  manger.  Where 
there  are  two  rows  of  cows,  the  inner  row  is  usually  headed  out, 
and  as  only  about  one-third  of  the  cows  are  in  this  row,  this  loss 
of  space  is  counterbalanced  by  the  large  number  of  cows  in  the 
outer  circle  using  the  space  more  economically  than  they  do  in  the 
rectangular  barn. 

Box  stalls  cannot  be  as  conveniently  arranged,  but  in  a  one-row 
barn,  gates  hung  on  the  outside  and  swung  around  to  the  manger, 
form  stalls  for  cows  at  freshening  time,  and  in  a  barn  with  two 
rows,  box  stalls  can  be  arranged  in  the  inner  circle. 


I9io] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


17 


HOW  THE  ROUND  BARN  AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  WAS 

BUILT 

The  barn  is  located  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  sloping  gently  to  the 
south  and  east.  With  this  location,  it  was  an  advantage  to  ex- 
cavate S  feet  deep  on  the  northwest  and  run  out  to  the  surface  of 
the  ground  on  the  southeast. 

The  footing  for  the  foundation  is  18  inches  wide.  A  ten-inch 
hrick  wall  was  carried  up  nine  feet  above  the  stable  floor.  This 
wall  contains  a  2-inch  air  space  to  prevent  moisture  from  condens- 
ing on  the  inner  wall  and  making  the  barn  damp.  This  is  an  im- 


FIG.  lo.     SHOWING  TEMPORARY  BRACING  TO  HOI,D  STUDS  IN  PI<ACE  WH*I«E 

SHIP   I,AP   CEILING   IS   NAILED   ON. 


portant  point,  as  barns  with  a  solid  stone  or  brick  wall  are  very 
objectionable  on  account  of  dampness.  It  has  been  proven  by  two 
years'  use  that  this  difficulty  is  entirely  obviated  by  the  air  space 
in  the  wall. 

The  foundation  for  the  manger  and  feed  alley  is  built  up  2  feet 
above  the  stable  floor.  The  foundation  for  the  silo  extends  4  feet 
below  the  stable  floor  and  is  continued  9  inches  above  the  floor  in 
the  feed  alley.  This  silo  wall,  together  with  the  foundation  under 
the  manger,  forms  the  foundation  for  the  center  supports  of  the 
barn.  Fig.  12  sRows  the  foundation  completed. 


18 


BULLETIN  No.  143 


[February, 


The  silo,  which  is  the  Gurler  type,  was  then  started  and  carried 
up  with  the  barn.  It  was  built  by  placing  2x4  studs  around  the 
circle,  one  foot  on  centers,  and  ceiling  inside  with  ^x6-inch  lum- 
ber. This  ^-inch  lumber  was  obtained  by  re-sawing  1x6  yellow 
pine  fencing.  Common  lath  were  then  put  on  horizontally  in  the 
regular  way  inside,  without  furring  out,  and  plastered  with  rich 
cement  plaster. 

The  sill  of  the  barn  is  6x6,  made  up  of  ix6s,  and  built  on  top 
of  the  wall.  Building  it  up  in  this  manner  makes  a  stronger  sill 
than  can  be  obtained  in  any  other  way,  as  it  forms  a  continuous 
hoop  around  the  barn. 


FIG.  14.    SHOWING  HEIGHT  AND  CONSTRUCTION  OF  SILO,  SIDING  COMPLETED, 
AND  FOUR  MAIN  RAFTERS  IN  PLACE. 


The  joists  are  2x1 2s  notched  6  inches  to  fit  the  sill,  so  that  the 
outer  ends  rest  on  both  the  sill  and  the  brick  wall.  The  outer  span 
of  joists  is  14  feet  and  the  inner  ends  of  these  joists  rest  on  a 
similar  sill  built  of  ix6s  on  top  of  the  4x4  supports  at  the  stanch- 
ions. The  inner  span  of  joists,  between  the  stanchions  and  the 
silo,  is  8  feet,  the  outer  end  resting-  on  the  sill  over  the 
stanchions,  and  the  inner  end  on  a  i^x6-inch  band,  made  up 


I9io] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


19 


of  three  ^x6-inch  pieces,  running  around  the  outside  of  the  silo. 
These  joists  are  placed  2^/3  feet  apart  at  the  outside  of  the  barn, 
and  half  as  many  joists  are  used  in  the  inner  span,  making  the 
joists  at  the  silo  one  foot  apart.  The  number  of  joists  under  the 
driveways  are  doubled,  being  only  i  foot  and  3  inches  apart  at  the 
outside  of  the  barn. 

The  studs,  which  are  2x6s,  20  feet  long,  were  then  placed  on  the 
sill,  about  2  feet  6  inches  apart,  being  as  evenly  spaced  between 
the  windows  as  possible,  and  temporarily  braced,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
13,  until  the  8-inch  ship  lap  ceiling  could  be  nailed  on  the  outside. 
This  was  carried  up  5  feet  to  the  second  scaffold,  and  then  covered 


FIG.  15.     SHOWING  AU,  RAFTERS  IN  PLACE  AND  METHOD  OF  SHEATHING  ROOF. 


to  this  height  with  shingles  laid  5  inches  to  the  weather.  The 
scaffolding  was  then  moved  up  and  this  process  repeated  until  the 
siding  was  completed.  The  plate,  made  up  of  five  1x43,  was  then 
built  in  the  notch  in  the  top  of  the  studs  shown  fn  Fig.  13. 

The  silo  was  completed,  as  before  described.  The  rafters, 
which  were  framed  on  the  ground,  were  then  erected,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  14,  the  first  eight  going  to  the  center  of  the  roof,  and  the 


20 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


FIG.  16.     SHOWING  HEIGHT  OF  siix),  CAPACITY  OF  BARN,  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

OF  ROOF. 


igio] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


21 


remaining"  ones  were  cut  to  rest  on  the  plate  of  the  silo.  There*  are 
64  framed  rafters,  and  these  are  the  only  ones  in  the  upper  section 
of  the  roof.  At  the  break  in  the  roof,  a  header  is  cut  in  between 
the  framed  rafters,  and  in  the  lower  section  a  rafter  is  placed  be- 
tween these,  thus  making  twice  as  many  rafters  in  the  lower  sec- 
tion of  the  roof  as  in  the  upper  section.  After  the  rafters  were  all 
in  place  and  temporarily  braced,  the  ix2-inch  sheathing  was  put 
on,  as  shown  in  Fig1  15,  and  the  shingles,  which  were  the  best  5/2 


FIG.  17.     SHOWING  ARRANGEMENT  ov  JOISTS  AND  HOW  THK  FLOOR  is  LAID. 


red  cedar,  were  laid  5  inches  to  the  weather  on  the  lower  section 
of  the  roof,  and  4  inches  to  the  weather  on  the  upper  section,  as 
this  had  less  pitch.  No  chalk  line  was  necessary,  as  the  shingles 
were  laid  by  the  sheathing. 

The  floor  was  made  of  1x8  ship  lap,  laid  in  four  directions,  as 
shown  in  Fig1.  17.  In  the  driveway  an  extra  layer  of  ship  lap  was 
used,  making  this  portion  of  the  floor  2  inches  thick. 


22 


BULLETIN   No.    143 


[February, 


The  doorways  in  the  second  story  are  14  feet  wide,  and  in  the 
lower  story  12  feet.  These  openings  are  closed  by  t\vo  sliding 
doors,  each  door  being  made  of  two  sections,  hinged  together  so 
as  to  follow  the  circular  wall  of  the  barn  in  opening. 

The  co\v  stable  is  on  the  ground  floor,  and  well  lighted  by  16 
windows  having  twelve  9x12  lights  each.  There  are  also  six  win- 
dows in  the  doors.  The  windows  are  placed  just  below  the  ceiling 
and  admit  an  abundance  of  sunshine  at  all  times  of  the  day,  which 
is  one  of  the  essentials  of  a  good  dairy  barn. 

The  floor,  back  of  the  manger,  is  of  clay,  except  at  the  door, 
where  a  small  portion  is  covered  with  cement.  The  cows  run  loose 


0pWALL 
FIG.  18.    SHOWING  PRESENT  ARRANGEMENT  OF  cow  STABLE.    THERE  ARE 

STANCHIONS  AND  MANGERS  FOR  28  COWS,  AND  2200  SQ.  FT.  OF  FLOOR  SPACE 
IN  WHICH  THE  COWS  CAN  RUN  LOOSE.  THE  GATES  ARE  SWUNG  INTO  THE 
PRESENT  POSITION  WHEN  BOX  STALLS  ARE  NEEDED. 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


23 


FIG.  iy.     SHOWING  CROSS  SECTION  OF  60-FOOT  KOUND  BARN. 


FIG.  20.    CLEANING  OUT  cow  STABLE  WITH  THREE-HORSE  MANURE  SPREADER. 


24 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


except  at  feeding  and  milking  time,  when  they  are  placed  in  rigid 
stanchions.  It  must  be  distinctly  understood  that  rigid  stanchions 
are  strongly  condemned  as  a  cow  tie,  where  cows  are  to  remain 
in  them  all  night,  but  as  they  are  here  used  merely  to  hold  the 
cow  during  milking,  they  are  both  economical  and  convenient. 

Running  cows  loose  in  this  manner  is  an  excellent  method, 
where  bedding  is  abundant  and  sufficient -space  is  available,  as  the 
cows  are  more  comfortable,  and  all  fertility  is  saved.  There  is  no 
waste  from  leaching,  as  when  the  manure  lies  exposed  to  the 
weather.  This  method  saves  the  labor  of  cleaning  the  stable,  as 
the  manure  is  loaded  into  the  spreader  and  hauled  directly  upon 


FlG.  21.      COWS  IN  STANCHION  AT  MILKING  TIME. 


the  land  whenever  convenient,  and  the  land  is  in  the  best  condition 
to  receive  it.* 

Three  gates  are  hung  on  posts  at  the  outside  wall,  and  when 
box  stalls  are  needed,  these  are  swung  around  to  the  manger,  as 

*For  a  more  detailed  discussion  of  the  advantages  of  keeping  cows  in  this  manner,  see 
Illinois  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  Circular  No.  93. 


igio]  ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN  25 

shown  in  Fig.  18.  The  south  door  in  the  cow  stable  can  be  closed 
by  slatted  gates,  thus  affording  an  abundance  of  fresh  air  and  sun- 
shine on  nice  days,  without  letting  the  cows  out  of  the  barn.  . 


The  system  of  ventilation  is  the  "King."  To  economize  space 
and  lumber,  the  hay  chute  is  used  for  a  ventilator.  This  chute, 
which  extends  to  the  cupola,  is  2^x3^  feet,  having  a  cross  sec- 
tion area  of  8  sq.  ft.,  which,  with  a  good  draft,  is  sufficient  for 
40  cows.  In  order  that  this  combination  of  ventilator  and  hay 


FIG.  21.    CONTINUED. 


chute  prove  practical,  doors  thru  which  the  hay  could  be  thrust 
were  placed  at  intervals  in  the  side  of  the  chute.  These  doors  are 
hinged  at  the  top,  opening  in,  and  close  immediately  after  the  hay 
drops,  thus  maintaining  a  closed  ventilator  chute.  The  air  is  drawn 
in  at  the  bottom,  the  amount  being  regulated  by  means  of  a  sliding 
door  in  the  side.  As  this  chute  is  50  feet  high,  it  creates  a  strong 
suction. 


26 


BULLETIN  No.    143 

THE  MILK  ROOM 


[February, 


To  economize  space,  the  milk  room,  12x16  feet,  is  located  under 
the  'north  driveway.  The  brick  walls  under  the  drive  form  the 
sides  of  this  room,  and  the  floor  of  the  drive,  which  is  made  of 
2x6s  grooved  on  both  edges,  forms  the  roof.  The  grooves  in  the 
flooring  were  filled  with  white  lead,  and  a  wooden  strip,  fitted  to 
fill  the  grooves  of  both  planks,  was  driven  in,  forming  a  water- 
tight floor.  This  floor  was  covered  with  hot  tar  and  sand  l/>  inch 
thick.  The  milk  room  is  plastered  on  the  inside,  the  plaster  being 
applied  directly  to  the  brick  walls,  excepting  in  the  case  of  the  ceif- 


FIG.  22.  FEED  ALLEY,  SHOWING  COMBINED  HAY  CHUTE  AND  VENTILATOR. 
A  DOOR  ON  THE  SIDE  WHICH  IS  HINGED  AT  THE  BOTTOM,  3  FEET  FROM 
THE  FLOOR,  is  LET  IN  TOWARD  THE  SILO,  SLIDING  THE  HAY  ONTO  THE 

FLOOR.      IN  HOT  WEATHER  THIS  OPENING  TAKES  THE  HEAT  OUT  OF  THE 

BARN;    DURING  THE  WINTER  THIS  DOOR  is  KEPT  CLOSED  AND  THE  VENTI- 
LATION IS  REGULATED  BY  RAISING  THE  SLIDE,  AS  SHOWN  IN  THE  CUT. 

ing,  which  is  lathed.  The  floor  and  cooling  tank  are  of  cement. 
The  passage  from  the  barn  to  the  milk  room  is  thru  a  small  hall- 
way, which  is  open  to  the  outside,  thus  preventing  the  stable  air 
getting  into  the  milk  room. 

BARN  SATISFACTORY 

This  round  dairy  barn  above  described  has  been  in  use  for  over 
two  years  at  the  University  of  Illinois,  and  has  given  entire  satis- 
faction. 


igio] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


FIG.  23.     NORTHEAST  VIEW,  SHOWING  DAIRY  UNDER  DRIVEWAY.     THE  BARN 
IS  ON  THE  SAME  SCALE  AS  THE  DRAWING  ON  PAGE  28. 


FIG.  2\.     INTERIOR  OK  DAIRY;    COOLING  TANK  ON  T.EKT. 


28 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


RE;-ARRANGEMENT  OE  BARN  TO  ACCOMMODATE  40  Cows 

If  it  is  desired  to  keep  cows  in  stalls  in  a  round  barn  of  this 
size,  the  circular  manger  can  be  enlarged  to  38  feet  in  diameter, 
which  gives  room  for  forty  cows,  as  shown  in  Fig.  25,  and  the  silo, 
to  hold  sufficient  silage  to  feed  the  year  round,  enlarged  to  18  feet 
in  diameter.  The  present  mow  room  is  sufficient  to  store  enough 
hay  and  bedding  for  this  number  of  cows. 

The  barn  on  the  Twenty-acre  Demonstration  Dairy  Farm  was 
built  this  large,  as  it  was  thought  it  might  be  desired  at  some  fu- 
ture time  to  increase  the  size  of  the  farm  and  herd,  and  the  barn 
could  easily  be  changed  to  accommodate  a  larger  herd  by  simply 
enlarging  the  silo,  without  rebuilding  the  barn. 


Fro.  25.     SHOWING  HOW  THIS  60-FOOT  BARN  MAY  BE  ARRANGED  TO  ACCOMMO- 
DATE 40  COWS  IN  STALLS.      To  SUPPLY  THIS  SIZED  HERD  AND  THE  NECESSARY 

YOUNG  STOCK  WITH  SILAGE  FOR  EIGHT  MONTHS  WOULD  REQUIRE  A  370-TON 
SILO,  OR  ONE  18  FEET  IN  DIAMETER  AND  56  FEET  DEEP;  WlTH  A  SEVEN- 
FOOT  FEED  ALLEY  AND  A  2^ -FOOT  MANGER,  THE  CIRCLE  AT  THE  STANCHIONS 
WOULD  BE  38  FEET  IN  DIAMETER,  OR  119>^  FEET  IN  CIRCUMFERENCE; 
ALLOWING  4#  FEET  FOR  TWO  PASSAGE  WAYS,  THE  STALLS  WOULD  EE  2  FEET 
INCHES  WIDE  AT  THE  STANCHION,  AND  3  FEET  6  INCHES  AT  THE  DROP. 


I9io] 


ECONOMY  o*  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


29 


ITEMIZED  COST  OF  THIS-  ROUND  BARN 


60  pieces.  Jx  6x12  Y.    P. 


Excavating,   foundation,  and  first  story  brick   wall..  ....$904.00 

Lumber : 
149  pieces,  ix  4x16  Y.  P. 

31 
16 

165 

17 
226 

20 
6 

15 

120 

23 
IOO 

144 

67 


2X  6x22 
2X  6x24 
2X  8xIO 

2x  8x16 
2x10x14 

2XIOXI2    " 

2X10X22 

IXIOXI2 

1x10x14  Cypress 

1x12x14 

i^xSxio  Cyp.   828 

1x1^x12x14 


ix  4x14  Cypress  30 

ix  4x12  4 

ix  6x16  Y.  P.  6 

ix  6x14       "  9 

2x  4x12  4 

2X    4Xl6  II 

2X    4x14  I 

4x  4x14  I 

2x12x16   "  i 

2x12x14 

2X  6x20  "                    22 

2X  6X1 6  2 

2X  6xl8  "                      2 
2X  6x26 

6000  feet  of    8-inch  ship  lap 
3150  feet  of  10-inch  ship  lap  * 
71  M  5/2  red  cedar  shingles 
165  Lineal  feet  of  2-inch  Cr.  molding 
240  Lineal  feet  of  Cr.  molding 
270  feet  of  4-inch  Y.  P.  Si 8 
4000  feet  of  6-inch  rough  pine 

62  feet  of  f^-inch  Y.  P.  Ceiling 
850  feet  of  6-inch  No.   i  flooring 
230  feet  of  6-inch  fence  flooring 
56  lineal  feet  of  ^x3-inch  battening 
32  lineal  feet  of  lattice 
444  lineal  feet  of  4-inch  cypress 
3  lo-foot  cedar  posts 

Total  cost  of  lumber  $1.313.63 

Mill  work: 

Window  sash  and   doors   $270.00 

Wrindow  and  door  frames    71.00 

Sawing  lumber  for  silo,  roof,  bridge  and  stanchions 29.78 

Cost  of  hardware 96-57 

Carpenter  work  : 

Head    carpenter    518  hrs.  @  40c=$2O7.2O 

Carpenters    1057  hrs.  @  35c=  369.95 

Common    labor    429  hrs.  @  2oc=    85.80 


Total  cost  for  carpenter  work   662.95 

Tiling  around  barn  and  silo,  sewer  from  dairy  room,  retaining  wall,  ce- 
ment floor  in  alley,  dairy,  doorway  of  barn,  and  steps  and  tanks.  ..  .  128.54 

Plastering  dairy  room  and  inside  of  silo 104.60 

Painting 89.54 


Total  cost  of  barn  $3670.61 


30 


BULLETIN   No.   143 


[February, 


The  cost  of  this  barn,  if  built  on  the  ordinary  dairy  farm,  could 
be  materially  reduced  without  shortening  the  life  of  the  barn. 
Owing  to  the  conditions  under  which  this  barn  was  built,  it  was 
necessary  to  pay  for  hauling  all  material  to  the  farm,  two  and  one- 
half  miles  from  town.  All  of  the  labor  had  to  be  hired,  and  as  it 
was  necessary  for  the  men  to  board  themselves  the  wages  paid 
were  proportionately  higher.  The  farmer  usually  does  the  exca- 
vating and  hauls  the  brick,  sand,  and  lumber  with  his  own  teams, 
tends  the  mason,  and  does  quite  an  amount  of  the  rough  work 
with  his  own  help,  besides  boarding  the  men,  all  of  which  would 


FIG.  26.    BARN  No.  2,  80  FEET  IN  DIAMETER;    ENGINE  ROOM  IN  FOREGROUND. 


greatly  reduce  the  cost.  The  construction  could  also  be  cheapened 
by  using  drop  siding  to  cover  the  outside,  instead  of  shingles,  which 
in  this  case  were  used  over  ship  lap  on  the  side  walls  to  improve 
the  appearance.  This  barn  could  be  still  further  cheapened  by  put- 
ting hoops,  five  feet  apart,  around  the  studs,  and  covering  with 
common  1x12  boards,  put  on  vertically,  as  is  done  in  some  cases. 
A  saving  could  also  be  made  on  the  mill  work  and  large  doors  by 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


31 


having  the  carpenters  make  these  plainer  and  leave  the  windows 
out  of  them. 

Anyone  wishing  to  build  a  round  barn  can  get  local  bids  on 
the  lumber  bill,  and  determine  approximately  the  cost  in  his  local- 
ity. This  will  vary  with  both  the  location  and  the  year. 

OTHER  ROUND  DAIRY  BARNS 
BARN  No.  2 

Built  1897. 
Diameter,  80  feet. 

Capacity,  75  cows  in  2  rows,  tails  together,  51  head  in  outer 
circle,  24  head  in  inner  circle. 


FIG.  27.     INTERIOR  OF  BARN  NO.  2,  SHOWING  TWO  ROWS  OF  STANCHIONS  AND 
DRIVE  BEHIND  cows  WHICH  is  USED  IN  CLEANING  BARN;     Sii,o  ON  RIGHT. 


Cost,  $1800. 

Studs,  2x6s,  placed  2^/2  feet  on  center. 
Supports,  two  2x6s  in  each  stanchion. 

Joists,  main  span  3x125,  20  feet  long,  placed  14  inches  on  cen- 
ter.    Short  spans  over  feed  alleys,  2x1  os. 

Plate,  ixio-inch  boards  sprung  around  near  top  of  studs. 


BULLETIN   No.   143 


[February, 


Roof  supports,  6x6s  placed  12  feet  apart.  Purline  plate  rests 
on  these  posts  and  consists  of  ix8s  sprung  to  the  circle. 

Siding,  8-inch,  put  on  horizontally,  first  story  ceiled  inside. 

To  clean  out,  a  wagon  is  driven  around  between  the  two  rows 
of  cows. 

The  chief  objection  to  this  barn  is  insufficient  light  in  the  cow- 
stable. 

This  barn  and  No.  3  are  approximately  the  same  in  construc- 
tion, and  are  more  substantially  built  than  barns  No.  4  and  5. 


10  20- 

OCALE 

FIG.  28.    ARRANGEMENT  OK  cow  STABLE  ix  BARN  NO.  2;    Two  ROWS  OP 
cows  TAILED  TOGETHER.    THE  BARN  is  CLEANED  BY  DRIVING  AROUND 

BEHIND  THE  COWS. 


IQIO] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


33 


FIG.  29.    BARN  No.  3,  80  FEET  IN  DIAMETER. 


BARN  No.  4 

Built  in  1900. 

Diameter,  90  feet. 

Capacity,  105  cows,  two  rows  heading  together. 

Cost,  $3000. 

Foundation,  width  at  base  and  top,  18  inches;  depth  in  ground. 
20  inches,  (not  sufficient). 

Sills,  2x8s,  sawed  in  short  lengths,  and  placed  flatwise. 

Studding,  2O-foot  2x8s,  placed  3  feet  on  center  and  toenailed 
to  sill.  • 

Supports,  first  story  4x45  placed  between  stanchions  in  each 
row,  making  two  rows  of  supports  between  the  outside  wall  and  the 


34 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


silo ;  4x45  cut  to  a  circle  placed  on  top  of  these  supports.  The  out- 
side span,  over  cows,  is  13  feet  6  inches;  middle  span,  over  feed 
alley,  6  feet  8  inches,  and  inside  span,  over  cows,  13  feet. 

Joists,  2x8s  placed  3  feet  apart  at  studs  on  outside  wall.  There 
are  as  many  joists  in  center  of  barn  as  at  the  outside. 

Supports,  second-story,  consist  of  one  row  of  posts  running 
around  at  a  point  immediately  under  the  break  in  the  roof.  Tliese 
are  16  feet  apart  and  are  made  of  three  2x8s  kept  2  inches  apart 
by  horizontal  braces  which  run  from  studding  near  the  eave  thru 
these  posts  to  studding  in  silo.  See  Fig.  31. 

Plate,  rafter  is  set  on  top  of  each  stud,  and  no  plate  is  used. 

Rafters,  2x6s  resting  on  studs  at  outside  and  on  circular  plate 
at  break  in  roof. 


FIG.  30.    BARN  No.  4,  90  FEET  IN  DIAMETER;    ONE  OF  THE  FEW  DAIRY  BARNS  WITH 
SUFFICIENT  LIGHT;    SAME  SCALE  AS  DRAWING  ON  PAGE  37, 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROTND  DAIRY  BARN 


35 


FlG.  31.       SlLO   IN   CENTER    OF    BARN    No.  4;      UPPER    PORTION   IN    HAY    LOFT,   LOWER 

PORTION   IN   COW   STABLE. 


36 


BULLETIN  No.  143 


[February, 


Siding,  8-inch  drop  siding,  put  on  horizontally,  nailed  with  lod 
nails.  Ends  holding  well. 

"Windows,  12  light,  10x12  glass;  one  window  every  six  feet. 
This  gives  an  abundance  of  light  in  the  center  of  the  barn. 

Doors,  built  on  circle;    (not  satisfactory). 

Silo,  round ;  diameter,  24  feet  over  all ;  height,  53  feet,  ex- 
clusive of  12-foot  space  for  water  tank  on  top;  capacity,  500  tons. 


FIG.  32.    INTERIOR  OF  BARN  NO.  4,  SHOWING  STALLS  AND  FEED  AL.I.EY. 


Studs  of  silo,  2x48  placed  12  inches  on  center.  Ceiled  inside  of 
studs  with  two  thicknesses  of  half-inch  lumber  with  paper  between. 

Remarks :  Considering  its  size,  the  construction  of  this  barn  is 
apparently  too  light  to  be  substantial,  as  the  joists  and  studs  are 
too  small  and  too  far  apart,  yet  it  has  stood  for  nine  years  with 
no  more  evidence  of  wear  than  is  common  with  any  barn. 

\Yere  the  owner  to  build  again  he  would  place  the  studs  only 
2}/2  feet  apart  and  use  2x12  joists,  2^  feet  apart  at  the  outside 
wall.  He  would  also  use  cement  plaster  on  inside  of  silo. 


I9io] 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


37 


The  owner  says  it  would  have  cost  him  as  much  to  have  built 
a  rectangular  barn  without  the  500-1011  silo,  and  containing-  1300 
sq.  ft.  less  floor  space.  In  other  words,  he  gained  a  5oo-ton  silo 
and  1300  sq.  ft.  of  floor  space,  besides  an  immense  amount  of  mow 
room,  by  building  a  circular  barn. 


WALK 


Fio.  33.    ARRANGEMENT  OK  cow  STABLE  IN  BARN  No.  4,  90  FEET  IN  DIAMETER; 

Two   ROWS   OK   COWS  HEADED  TOGETHER. 


38 


BULLETIN  No.   143 


[February, 


BARN  No.  5 

Built  in  1906. 

Diameter,  100  feet. 

Capacity,  115  cows. 

Cost,  $3400. 

Studding,  1 6- foot  2x6s,  placed  3  feet  on  centers. 

Supports,  3  rows  4x43. 

Joists,  2x1  os,  placed  3  feet  on  centers.  Hemlock  and  yellow 
pine. 

Floor,  laid  in  eight  directions. 

Rafters,  2x6s  spiked  to  studs.  A  band  of  two  ix6s  is  placed 
around  the  studs  just  below  the  rafters,  and  helps  support  the 
rafters. 

Supports  for  roof.  There  are  three  purline  plates.  Two  of 
these  are  supported  by  posts,  the  other  by  braces  running  out  from 
the  silo.  The  roof  is  straight  from  eaves  to  peak.  The  bracing 
is  similar  to  that  of  barn  No.  4. 

Silo,  1 8  feet  in  diameter,  56  feet  deep,  2  feet  in  ground.  Ca- 
pacity, 350  tons. 


FIG.  34.    BARN  92  FEET  IN  DIAMETER;    Two  ROWS  OF  cows  HEADED 
TOGETHER;    811,0  IN  CENTER. 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


39 


FIG.  35.    VIEW  OF  70-FooT  SEI/F  SUPPORTING  ROOF  ON  BARN  SHOWN  IN 

FIG.  36;      NOTE   HOOPS  ON  STUDS  IN  RIGHT  FOREGROUND. 


FIG.  36.    BARN  70  FEET  IN  DIAMETER;    FRAME  HOOPED  FOR  PERPENDICU- 
LAR SIDING;    I/OWER  SECTION  SIDED. 


40 


BULLETIN   No.    143 
THE  SMALL,  DAIRYMAN 'a  BARN 


[February. 


The  round  barns  previously  described  do  not  meet  the  nee/ds 
of  the  man  with  only  a  few  cows.  He  usually  wants  a  general- 
purpose  barn.  The  circular  form  can  be  made  satisfactory  for  this 


FIG.  37.      BARN  40  FEET  IN  DIAMETER. 


81 

m 


FIG.  38.    BARN  48  FEET  IN  DIAMETER,  16-FooT  POSTS;    NOTE  METHOD  OK 
TAKING  HAY  INTO  SMALL  ROUND  BARN. 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BAK.N 


41 


purpose  if  proper  attention  is  given  to  the  plan.  It  is  necessary 
that  the  cow  stable  be  distinctly  separated  from  all  other  stock  by 
a  tight  wall.  Round  barns  with  this  arrangement  are  giving  sat- 
isfaction in  Illinois  at  the  present  time. 


FIG.  39.     SHOWING  CONSTRUCTION  OF  BARN  IN  FIG.  40.    HOOPS  IN  PLACE 
READY  FOR  PERPENDICULAR  SIDING;    ROOK  SHEATHED  FOR  SHINGLES. 


»•  T^'jfc     v":*~v 


FIG.  40.     BARN  102  FEET  IN  DIAMETER  AND  85  FEET  HIGH. 


42  BULLETIN   No.   143  [February. 

DISADVANTAGES  OF  THE  POLYGONAL  BARN  , 

A  polygonal  barn  has  the  disadvantages  of  both  the  rectangu- 
lar and  the  round  barn,  and  is  less  stable  than  either.  It  must 
necessarily  have  a  heavy  frame,  which  is  expensive,  and  as  the  sid- 
ing cannot  run  around  the  corners,  it  is  very  difficult  to  tie  the  dif- 
ferent sides  together'  sufficiently  to  prevent  the  barn  being  racked 
by  the  wind. 


BARN  No.  6 


i6-sided. 
Built,  1888. 


FIG.  41.    BARN  No.  6;    85  FEET  IN  DIAMETER;    SAME  SCALE  AS  DRAWING  ON 

OPPOSITE  PACK. 


ECONOMY  OF  THE  ROUND  DAIRY  BARN 


43 


Diameter,  85  feet. 

Height,  26-foot  posts  on  9-foot  wall. 
Capacity,  88  cows ;   350  tons  of  hay. 

Foundation  and  first  story,  cement  wall  9  feet  above  cement 
floor. 

Supports,  4x85,  placed  just  back  of  stanchions,  3  feet  on  center. 
Studs,  2x1  os,  26  feet  long,  placed  2^2  feet  on  center. 


10  ZO 

3CALZ. 

FIG.  42.     ARRANGEMENT  OK  cow  STABLE  IN  BARN  No.  6. 

Joists  3x125,  20  feet  long,  14  inches  on  center  for  main  span. 

Rafters,  self  supporting.  Sheathed  with  ix6s  with  no  space 
between.  This  roof  has  a  purline  plate  thrown  in  the  gambrel. 
The  plate  is  supported  only  by  the  braces  which  tie  the  joints. 

The  barn  has  been  racked  three  times  by  the  wind,  replumbed 
and  heavy  iron  rods  put  in  to  brace  it,  yet  it  is  out  of  plumb  at  the 
present  time. 


44  BULLETIN   No.   143  [February, 

CONCLUSIONS 

In  summing  up  the  data  given  in  this  bulletin,  it  is  obvious  that 
the  advantages  of  the  round  barn  are  convenience,  strength,  and 
cheapness. 

The  round  barn  is  the  more  convenient,  because  of  the  unob- 
structed mow,  which  reduces  the  labor  required  in  mowing  hay,  and 
because  of  the  greater  ease  and  fewer  steps  with  which  the  feed 
can  be  gotten  to  the  cows,  owing  to  the  central  location  of  the 
supply. 

The  circular  construction  is  the  strongest  because  advantage  is 
taken  of  the  lineal  strength  of  the  lumber.  All  exposed  surfaces 
are  circular,  and  withstand  greater  wind  pressure,  as  the  wind  can 
get  no  direct  hold,  as  on  the  sides  or  gable  ends  of  a  rectangular 
barn. 

In  round  numbers,  rectangular  barns  require,  according  to  their 
construction,  from  34  to  58  percent  more  in  cost  of  material  than 
round  barns  with  the  same  floor  area  and  built  of  the  same  grade 
of  material. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBAN/I 


